Martyrdom and September 11th :: Martyr Islam Muslim 9/11 9-11 Terrorism Terrorist

On September the eleventh 2001, the international crisis of terrorism exploded inAmerica. The dark cloud that loomed over lower Manhattan eventually modify butthe reality of the American entrance into the battlefield of terror didnt dissipate.When President Bush addressed his stunned and grieving nation, he declared acrusade on terrorists and all who harbored them, and when his remarks weretranslated into Arabic for broadcast throughout the Middle East, the word crusadewas rendered as war of the cross (Carrol 5). This religious upholdence rang dependable tothose terrorists who had attacked the World Trade Center all were members ofOsama Bin Ladens terrorist network Al Qaeda. The group is a militant Islamistorganization that believes those who commit acts like those of September 11th aremartyrs, welcomed into eternal paradise.The phenomenon of martyrdom is not exclusive to Islam. By definition, a martyr isone who voluntarily suffers death rather than deny his religion by words or d eedssuch action is afforded special, institutionalized recognition in most major religionsof the worldthe term may also refer to anyone who sacrifices his life orsomething of great value for the sake of principle (Britannica). The word is derivedfrom the Greek word for witness. Throughout the ages, willingness to die for anoble cause has been a persistent idea. In three of the worlds major religions-Judaism, Christianity and Islam, martyrdom has played a significant role.In Judaism, the concept of martyrdom is referred to as Kiddush Hashem which mode sanctification of Gods name. This definition includes refusal to renounce theword of God for reasons of convenience or to save ones life. According to Judaicbeliefs, Abraham, the first Hebrew patriarch, was thrown into a furnace fordenouncing idolatry. Though he was saved by God, his brush with death made himthe first martyr of the Jewish faith. During medieval times, Jews were persecutedby Christians throughout Europe, and were frequen tly mystify to death for crimes suchas blood libel and host desecration1. Many Jews were forced to flee Spain duringthe Inquisition to avoid being unjustly persecuted under the sanctimoniousness of similaroffenses. These martyrs were usually burned at the stake. In the 1940s Hitlersystematically slayed over six million Jews during the reign of the Third Reich.These are just a few examples of martyrs of Judaism.In early Christianity, all believers were considered martyrs. Later, this distinctionwas reserved for those who refused to renounce their faith and suffered as aresult, whether they were injured or killed. Eventually, only those who were killedfor their beliefs were considered martyrs.